# Give me garage sale advice

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-garage-sale-advice/467232>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 9, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-garage-sale-advice/467232 "2008-10-09T21:26:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-garage-sale-advice/467232/21 "2008-10-11T03:09:34Z")

</div>

> [@levdrakon](#):
>
> I’d get someone who’s job it is to do nothing but sit there and watch, and possibly jot down license plate numbers.
> 
> Thieves and scammers rely on you being distracted. Don’t think a family with a dad, mom with stroller, and a few kids isn’t there to rob you blind. Scamming is very often a family affair.

I’ve done a bunch of garage sales and I haven’t ever found a reason to be this alarmed. Keeping your cash in your pocket is a good idea, but otherwise, if someone manages to yoink a $2 item, who cares? All I’ve ever had stolen was a VHS tape of Masters of the Universe, and I laughed so hard that it was worth it. 🙂

I’ve done a sale mostly solo. You can pick a lull to run inside to use the restroom. No big deal. Help is good, but, not crucial.

I do agree that the date is terrible. I don’t know what’s customary in warmer climes, but garage sales are pretty much over for the season here. As soon as it’s slightly cold, nobody comes out.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kdeus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b487fb/32.png) [@kdeus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kdeus)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-garage-sale-advice/467232/22 "2008-10-11T04:33:24Z")

</div>

When I held a yard sale in Corpus Christi, people literally showed up at dawn(!) and we were done by 10 am. It was August, the temperature may have been a factor. A few years later, in New Jersey, no one showed up until 9 am.

Price everything 2/3ds lower than you think its worth. You want people to think “for that price, what the heck.”

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-me-garage-sale-advice/467232.md?page=1)